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Protesting is so good for the soul.....

Last night I took part in a protest against United Airlines and I have to say, this really was good for my soul and it is something I need to do much more often. I am hoping to see the demise of United Airlines due to their inexcusable actions - really, there is no excuse for United going forward to continue operations - and I am hoping in some very small way my participating helps to bring them down. In a very, very, very small way, of course. Rob

I have not flown since September 11th. The last flight I took they messed up my vegetarian meal order, then offered me leftovers from the half eaten plates of other passengers. That was on Northworst. However if I ever realize my dream of going to Hawaii I will fly at least once more.

All that is really required of airlines (that they have done very well) is to get us up in the air and down alive. I know that is what I pay for.

The employees' actions dealing with the passenger lacked communication skills and common sense. But the employees were also dealing with the pressure to get the plane in the air for all the other passengers and the "schedule" and probably not having the authority to offer much to entice one passenger to get off. I bet $2-3 thousand dollars cash would have moved many off the plane. Once they called for help from security, the employees lost any control to the security staff who roughly got the passenger off the plane.

Comes down to once a passenger is boarded and seating, they should only be allowed to negotiate to get them off unless a danger to all the other passengers.

I also wonder where the captain was in all of this but probably engaged in all the preflight duties to get a plane off safely. So a bad time all around to be dealing with this on a plane.

I love owning my own plane. No TSA, can leave when I want and generally go where I want. My baggage is always there and I can chose my passengers.

The last time I flew commercial just reaffirmed my decision. It was cramped and I had to listen to kids screaming for over a hour. The trip back the guy in front of me was so big he should have had two seats. He was half way into the isle and of coarse the Seat back was all the way back close to me.

Most airline travel today is generally just moving people as cheaply as possible.

United should have just continued to raise the offers for volunteers until someone agreed to accept. Or arranged other transportation for their employees.

im going to the airport today and fly somewhere for lunch. Maybe the Keys, or St. Pete. I'll decide later.

I'm going to display some class by ignoring your snark and answering this question seriously.

Living in the 85006, I have more of a connection to the airport and the airline industry than you would think. The airport in Phoenix is but a ten minute cab ride away from my house, given that I live right around the corner from an on ramp to State Route 51, which allows rapid access to the airport from the 85006. Given that my neighborhood overall is struggling and lower income, many folks here work lower end positions in food and beverage or janitorial at the airport, or for Swissport (international company that airlines contract to to have basic cleaning/food prep tasks done). The airport is one of the biggest employers in the 85006, and though I don't work for the airport, I often hear airport drama from stopping and talking to my neighbors - often over a free shot of El Presidente from some of the cooler neighbors.

My point is that a malevolent (sp?) airline such as United that negatively impacts Sky Harbour International Airport is a cause of concern in the 85006 and you'd better believe people here know all about it. Please don't make the often committed middle class and above mistake of believing folks of the lower classes are uniformed - this is often not the case in my experience - probably the average Joe or Jane in the 85006 knows more about the United Airlines fiasco that the average Joe or Jane in the 85016 (85016 being a neighboring higher income zip code) - this has nothing to do with intelligence but rather with economic survival, as the airport is a large employer in this zip code as I've already stated. Rob